Dissidents freed by Cuba
Cuba freed some leading dissidents on Wednesday after holding them overnight to thwart an unauthorized demonstration in a crackdown that has tested its new detente with the United States.
Police arrested several political opponents on Tuesday and kept others under virtual house arrest ahead of an open microphone protest that was to have taken place outside the communist government headquarters in Havana’s Revolution Square.
The detentions were typical of how Cuba breaks up opposition protests but took on greater significance coming just two weeks after U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro said on Dec. 17 they would restore diplomatic ties and end decades of hostility.
Denisha Sahadevan
